


Touch

by LadyDanger420



Series: The Shapes of Love [5]
Category: Venom (Movie 2018)
Genre: Other, Past Abuse, Riot was a piece of shit, Vee is emotionally stunted but it's not their fault, beep beep all aboard the 'fuck Carl Brock' train, memory sharing, somewhat autistic-coded Venom, talking about feelings, they're getting closer to The Big Ghey don't worry, two damaged souls healing together
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 04:40:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17196695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDanger420/pseuds/LadyDanger420
Summary: Venom has trouble reconciling current and past experiencesWARNING: heavy discussion of abuse and abuse rationalization, primarily from Venom's perspective. If that's a problem for you don't read, stay safe loves!





	Touch

**Author's Note:**

> There's a summary at the end if you want to know what happens but don't do well with abuse.

Venom was never very good at gauging relationships. They had trouble understanding what others thought of them, and sometimes they couldn't tell when they were being insulted in a roundabout way. Except for Riot, they never knew where they stood with anyone.

Riot always told them how they felt about them. Venom didn't have to guess, didn't have to worry about misreading things. Riot loved them, they wanted to help them get stronger, even if it hurt. But then Riot tried to take their Eddie away from them, and tried to consume them, and then Venom killed them.

They weren't sure what they were supposed to feel. Riot loved them, they said so. They only hurt them to help them grow stronger, and that was what love was. Right?

Now, they were just more confused. They loved Eddie, but Eddie was already strong and good and  _ perfect _ , at least to them. But they were pretty sure he didn't love them.

He  _ liked _ them, of course. He let them stay even when they were small and hurt and couldn't do anything but feed, like a real parasite. He made sure to find what they needed, and explained things when they were confused. He liked them, but he didn't  _ love _ them. Like the humans he worked with.

They wanted him to love them, they wanted to be made strong and powerful like Riot tried to help them with, but they also loved him just how he was. Awkward and friendly and generous to a fault.

Sometimes, he would touch them, and they would be overwhelmed with a sense of anticipation-dread-fear, certain that now was when he would start to hurt them, to make them strong. But he never did, whenever he touched them it was soft, pleasing strokes or scratches or sometimes, very rarely, an absent-mindedly brushed kiss on one of their tendrils. So, they continued to wait.

They could be patient. It was what they were named for, after all. But even their patience had its limits, and finally they had to ask. It was after a good day, in the lazy evenings where Eddie would turn on the box and the two of them would watch funny shows together, sprawled comfortably on the couch.

**Eddie?**

“Yeah, bud? What's up?”

**You don't love me. Why?**

A jolt of surprise-panic-alarm raced through him, sharp and almost bitter like lemons. He coughed, having inhaled some of his drink at the question. They quietly soaked it up and prompted his lungs to resume their normal rhythm, waiting silently as he tried to come up with a response.

“I- I don't, um, I mean—Why do you think that, Vee? I don't, like,  _ love you _ love you, but we're- we're friends, right?”

**Friends love each other, do they not? But… I don't understand. I…**

They huffed in irritation, struggling to put their thoughts into words. But there was an easier way to share.

**Just. Watch.**

A sequence of memories was pushed into Eddie's mind, all somewhat distorted to his perception—colors were muted, sounds and smells sharper than he could imagine. The first thing he recognized was Riot—sharp, narrow face, towering over him with a strange look on their face.

For a moment he struggled to breathe, feeling the ripping pain of a blade shattering his spine and sternum, slicing through everything in its way and tearing him apart, but then they spoke, a strange series of hums and clicks that translated in his mind with a few seconds’ delay.

_ Listen to me, Venom. I am the only one who (cares/bothers/minds) whether you live or die, I am the only one here who (loves/wants/owns) you.  _

A sinking feeling made itself known inside him—he was pretty sure where this was going.

_ You are (weak/useless/unneeded), but I can make you (strong/powerful/important). _

And then, pain exploded from (his/their) front, jagged claws piercing (his/their) (flesh/plasma) as Riot looked on.

Eddie jerked back to reality with a shuddering sob, a hand over his mouth as he curled around the point of impact in the memory. He felt like he was going to vomit—he knew Venom and Riot had history, but this— _! _

“Vee- Venom- I—” He choked on another gasp as tears blurred his vision. No wonder they didn't think he loved them, if that's what they thought love was. If that was the only experience they had.

“Venom, come out here.”

Slowly, they manifested into a small snakelike form, head bowed and eyes turned down. Almost as if they were waiting to be scolded, or- or—

**Did not mean to hurt Eddie, just wanted to understand.**

Even their voice sounded cowed, a thin whisper instead of their usual self-assured rumble.

“Venom, what Riot did to you—whatever they called it, that  _ wasn't _ love. You never hurt people that you love—at least, not on purpose. It's abuse, and it's bad. Really,  _ really _ bad, okay? You didn't deserve that, you don't deserve to be hurt just because you're different.”

**But-**

“No, just- just listen, okay? I know- I know it's hard to accept, that love doesn't mean having to hurt, but- I've been there too, Vee. I've been hurt by people who said they loved me, and it- it took a long time and a lot of work to realize that wasn't okay. It's not going to be easy, but I'll help you—whatever you need, alright? I want you to- to be happy, I don't- I don't want you to be constantly worrying about being hurt if- if you mess up or something. That's not- that's not healthy, and it's not how I want _ us _ to- to work. We're partners,  _ equal _ , kay?”

A low, burbling trill is their first response as they bump their head against his, before curling around his neck to snuggle up on a shoulder.

**Equal. No hurting?**

“No, I'm not gonna hurt you—promise.”

**Good. Thank you.**

“Of course, Vee.”

He reaches a hand up to curl around their head, gently scratching under their jaw and for the first time they lean into the touch, pressing into his palm and rumbling out a happy purr.

“Love you.”

**!!!!!!! Eddie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love you too, lots and lots more than chocolate and potatoes and crunchy munchy lobsters.**

He laughed at the wave of affection, but it wasn't a mean laugh. Eddie wasn't mean, he was good and perfect and he  _ loved _ them, and that was all they needed.

**Author's Note:**

> Summary: Venom is confused about how Eddie feels about them, because they equate love with being hurt because of their past with Riot. Eddie finds out in a rather jarring fashion and they Talk About Feelings Like Adults™


End file.
